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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. prune — to trim
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. shower — rain
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mate — a friend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com